Taxes and Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was a country of slaves, cruel oppressors and oppressed – that's the impression we get from the story of Moses – who has entered a period of unrest in Egypt. modern translations of hieroglyphs indicate that life in ancient Egypt was generally of prosperity and peace. The land was rich, men and women are equal and life has been appreciated. But there were tax collectors – as many as the sand of the sea. " The order of Egyptian life wasmanaged by scribes who were responsible for the implementation of fiscal policies of the pharaoh. Almost everything that was required – sales, slaves, foreigners, imports, exports, business. Agriculture was taxed at 20%. There was also a tax on cooking oil and inspectors regularly visit the kitchens to ensure that no free drippings were used in place of taxation on petroleum.
Incidentally, the word "freedom" in ancient times did not refer to his political and social freedombut the tax status of the person. If you have been "free" that did not pay taxes. Interestingly, the word is not found anywhere in the Egyptian language. However, the scribes were not brutal. They have learned to act with kindness toward the poor and defenseless. A charge ancient text "If a poor farmer is behind in his taxes, to pay two thirds of them."
Another text urged officials to promote "the morale of all and put them in a good mood." And if someone suffers from the pressures of taxation, or the end of his means, he must leave the case without control. "
This policy was called "philanthropist". From this we get the word philanthropy. Over 3000 years of the Egyptian empire, there were moments of tax administration and decent man.
Taxes and Greeks
The Greeks had two systems of taxation. One was the liturgy where wealthy citizens have contributed generously to the government what they were. The other system was "> Agricultural Tax, "which has had a long and colorful history. Farmers were private entrepreneurs, providing an auction for the right to levy a fee for some, as port tax, a tax or sales tax hostel. With registrations accurate in previous years, and in the absence of disaster, the amount of tax revenue should be calculated accurately. The company was risky, but seems to have been beneficial. In the city-state agricultural tax, was revealedhigher tax administration of the government. The private man was a cheaper and a better job of tax collection.
The right to collect taxes is one of extreme delegation of sovereign power. But since taxes are low in democracies greek, agricultural tax was not a big deal. For the Greeks, was simply a cheap way to collect taxes in a system where tax evasion is not worth it. The most serious abuses of the systemcame from tax farmers.
The modest system of agriculture tax, originally established by the city-state contrasts sharply with the greek system later in the third century BC, we see the accounts of how the world groans under the terrible oppression of the peasants. And that was before the Romans took! The Greeks Democrats who developed the agriculture tax was surprised to learn that in a few hundred years, the simple privatecollection system will evolve into a monster of oppression. They were even more surprised, perhaps, to learn that the tax farming has flourished in Western civilization, in many forms, from 2500, finally in fashion at the beginning of 1900.
Greeks were giants in the ancient world and had an interesting view of the tax and the government. The Greeks said that freedom and liberty of a better society is measured by its tax system. We, 2500 yearslater, are less deep in our analysis of taxation. There seems to accept any tax adopted by our legislature. We left the political class to create the tax laws. And it allows legislators to tax whatever they please, in whatever form they want.
Overall, the bright point in Greek history was in their tax administration. Income tax was assessed and managed by the same taxpayers, without the intervention of a massive government office. More importance was the response of rich countries to community needs. They shared their wealth with the community and do not hesitate to see the city and its people have enjoyed the prizes awarded.
The view greek was simple – taxes are oppressive, and therefore illegal, if they are required for the arrogance and coercion. They are justified when based on reasonableness and care and love.
We removed a great distance from these noble ideas.
Taxation> and the Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta stone was unearthed by Napoleon, and was perhaps the most important archaeological discovery in the history of Egypt. The stone had even written in three languages: hieroglyphics, demotic (Egyptian script) and greek. Using the Greek translation, we were able to decipher hieroglyphs and demotic.
But the question remains: Egyptian paper, called papyrus, then why writing was carved in stone? So why three languages?And because the greek?
The stone has been around since 3000 + BC. The Rosetta Stone was carved in 200BC during the reign of Ptolemy V (king of Greek origin). What happened to Pharaoh? At that time, Egypt was conquered by the Assyrians in 700 BC, then the Persians, and finally the Greeks in 330 BC. After existing for 2000 + years, Egypt was in decline.
The king Ptolmey were generally good, but around 200BC, when the Rosetta Stone was carved, Egypt has signed adecade long civil war. Civil war broke out in oppressive taxes and reinforced by excessive debt greek difficult. How is over there is much discontent. Ptolemy V issued a peace that has granted a general amnesty for all rebels and tax debtors Proclamation relaxed tax laws, eliminate forced enlistment in the navy, and restored the tax exemption for priests and temples and their cultures and lands as was in the days of greatPharaohs.
It 'been a great advantage and the financial windfall for the priests and temples and wanted to make sure that everyone knew, first, second, did not win again at some point in the future.
Consequently, "Rosetta Stones were cut and placed in front of every temple in Egypt. The Rosetta Stone announced to everyone that tax immunity was granted to the priests and the temple and acted as" Do not enter "sign to reduce the anarchyTax men king.
This again raises the question: why written in stone? The answer is because they wanted to make sure that the priests would not be able to disappear or be easily destroyed. Another question was why it was written in three languages? The stone was written in three languages so that everyone can read and listen to the message of the priests wanted to extend to all Egypt. It 'was written in greek to be particularly clear to the king of men that tax could not even set foot inside thetemple doors.
So the most important archaeological find ever Egyptians, the stone that overcomes the mysterious language of the Egyptians, the stone that enabled us to discover the secrets of the hieroglyphic writing and therefore the key to the history and understanding of the Egyptian empire by 3000, was in fact, a document for tax purposes.
Taxes and the Colossus of Rhodes
The island of Rhodes – The Portal of Rome and Greece. All such items has been arrestedsupply or transfer of cargo at Rhodes. The Port of Rhodes, like any other door, had a fee – 2%. Rhodes has prospered and flourished, banking and commerce in particular. Businessmen top 100 bronze colossus of Apollo to walk to the port. He became known to us as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world (if indeed straddling the harbor entrance is unknown).
Things went well until 225 BC. An earthquake toppled the Colossus, and not much hasRhodes heard later. The quake rid of them? Doom port? Well, here's the rest of the story. The Senate was angry with Rhodes, as during the last war with Rome, Macedonia, Rhodes had declared neutrality. After many years of Rome, Rome was expecting more. Rhodes wanted to take their side and help the war effort. So after the war, the Romans made their move. They have established a tax free port at the island of Delos. Us had no port tax of 2%! In the first year, decreased by 85% in Rhodes. Rhodes has been ruined.
The earthquake do? No, Rhodes was actually rebuilt after the earthquake (although not replace the Colossus). This led to Rhodes was no earthquake or a natural disaster or war or famine. It 'was the Roman tax policy. All this to avoid a charge of 2%. The Swiss former world, the retail giant of the East has been reduced because people wanted to avoid the 2%> Taxes.